Manually operable control valve



March 28, 1961 w. L. LINDGREN E'rm. 2,977,087

MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL -vALvE Filed Nov. 25, 1957 JZ gr% United States Patent C MANUALLY orERABLE CONTROL VALVE mea Nov. z5, 1957, ser. NQ. 6,981,630

s claims. (ci. 251-240) This invention relates to valves, and more particularly to a manually operable control valve for a hand portable gas appliance such as a hand torch or the like. Y

It is a general object ofthe invention to provide a new and improved control valve of the type described.

Hand torches of the character mentioned usually `include a valve assembly having a manually controllable valve member such as a needle which 'is movable from a closed position blocking the lfuel ilow to the ,torch nozzle to one or more open positions permitting fuel llow. Heretofore, valves of this type have been constructed with the valve member threadably mounted which requires that the stem be rotated to open `and close the valve, and to completely shut the valve some rotation is required after the conical portion of the needle initially contacts the annular valve seat. This rotation of the needle in the seat has resulted in undue wear which renders the valve inoperative after only a short period of use, sometimes after only 150 shut-olf cycles.

With the above and other considerations in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved valve of the type which includes a movable valve'V member such as a needle and a threadable adjustment for the valve member, wherein there is no rotation of the valve member after it contacts the valve seat on valve closing adjustment to thereby eliminate undue wear.

When an extended period of continuous torch use is contemplated, it is desirable to open the valve fully to a full ilame position and have it remain in such position, and the threadable adjustment referred to is utilized for this purpose. torch for limited periods is contemplated, with intervening periods of non-use, it is desirable to set the valve with the threadable adjustment to a partially open, pilot flame position and to have some means such as a trigger mechanism convenient to the thumb or iinger for opening the valve quickly to a fully open, `full ame position againstthe urge of yieldable means which returnsithe valve to the pilot position` when the trigger is released.

ln prior valves of, this type, wear on the needle and the valve seat is excessive, `due to the fact that theV yieldable means` servesto seat the needle before the threadable adjustment is eiective to positively shut the valve,` and the needle rotates in the seat, under urge of the yieldable means, during the linal closing adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved valve of the type which includes a movable l valve member such as a needle, a trigger mechanism forV quickly opening the valve, land fa threadable adjustmentk for. positively closing'the Yam?, wherein the needle does not rotate after engaging' adjustment.

Other objects and advantages will become-readily ap-` parent'-from the lfollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary-side -elevational vview ofa hand When only intermittentuse ofthe Ithe valvevseat on'valve closingv Patented Mar. 2s, 1961 l ice Fig. 2 is yan enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional through the axis of the valve assembly illustrated in Fig. l; and

Fig. -3y is a fragmentary sectional view taken at about the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is l shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many dilferent forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illus trated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims. y'

Referring to the drawings in more detail, as illustrated, the invention is embodied in a hand torch including a supply container 10 for pressurized fuel, a valve assemlbly 11 mounted on the container, a fuel supply pipe 12 having one end connected to the valve assembly, and a burner .nozzle 13 secured on the opposite end of the fuel supply pipe. l

The container 10 is a commercially available item normally comprising a metal tank or the like filled with a liquefied gaseous fuel, such as a petroleum gas, and is considered expendable or disposable, as empty containers are normally replaced with filled containers rather than being reiilled. The containers are of a relatively small size and may be readily grasped in one hand. The container is normally provided with a discharge valve housing 15 suitably secured in the upper wall of the tank Vand having a discharge valve (not shown) such as a tire valve normally held seated by spring pressure .and by the pressure of fluid in the tank'. The discharge 'valve includes a valve rod projecting upwardly for engagement with a push pin k17 which forms a part of the valve assembly y11 mounted atop the container.

Alternatively, in lieu of the disposable supply container 1t), a larger relillable gas cylinder (not shown) may be used, with a hose attached thereto and a suitable handle assembly on the end of the hose yfor connection with valve assembly 1l. Y

Asbest seen in Eig. l2, thevalve assembly A11 comprises va valve -b'ody 18 having an enlarged lower portion which is hollowed out and internally threaded at 19 to fit the external portion of the valve housing 15 (Fig. l) or to t the handle assembly referred to if the latter is used. The push pin 17 is formed with an upper end portionr 20 threaded into the valve body 18 until an annular shoulder 20a abuts the body 1S to form a leak-proof seal. A retaining ring 21 on the push pin holds an annular vsealing member 22. When the valve assembly 11 is mounted on the valve housing 15,'the push pin 17 extends downwardly into van O-ring seal member in the valve housing and opens the discharge valve to permit the How of fuel from the container. If thevalve assembly 11 is used with the handle assembly referred to, the

operable gas torch including a, valve assembly embodying the principles ofthe present invention;A I

kpush pin fits into a resilient O-ring seal member.

-The push pin 17 is provided withr a longitudinal bore 24 ytherethrough for conducting fuelfrom the supply `sourceto a passage 25 formed in the valve body 18. A`

diametrically extending groove 24a in the vbottom end face ofthe push pin admits fluid to the bore 24. The passage 25 leads from the-borev24 to a valve bore26, and v ther-bore 26gin turn connects with la, passage 27k leading` from the'valve Vchamber to a chamber` y28 kformed in the upper endof the valve body` to receive thefuel 'supply pipe 12. The chamber k28 includes a reduced inner end` portion. in which the pipe 12 is seatedyand an enlarged outer portion receiving afcompressionring 29 and a re-- taining nut 30 Vwhich compressesthering 29.- l v Preferably, a pressure'reduci'x'lg andregulatingyalve Y v31 lis positionedin thelower end :of pipe 12. The "e may comprise a standard, commercially available tire valve having a valve member spring urged toward a closed position against the pressure of fluid from the supply source with a lesser force than the force of-the fluidV pressure and functioning in conjunction with4 an orifice (not shown) in the pipe 12 or nozzle i3 offering resistance to fuel flow to maintain a substantially constant pressure and flow issuing from` the nozzle for any one setting of themanually controllable valve assembly 11.

in the valve body 18, at the juncture of the fluid passage and the valve chamber 26, a valve orifice and an annular valve seat 32 are formed, and a needle shaped valve member 33 is positioned. in thevalve body for axial movement relative to the valve seat between a closed positionl and various open positions to control the rate of fuel flow to the burner nozzle. Needle valve member 33 is formedon the end of -a Valve stem 35 whichV compresses an O-ring Seal 36 in the valve bore. The valve stem is formed with an enlarged portion which is grooved to receive a snap ring 33 which functions as a retainer for a washer 39 on the valve stem. The washer 39 provides a first annular abutment on the `valve stem, facing away from the valve seat, for a purpose to be described. A midportion of the valve stem is formed, with an integral outwardly extending annular ilange 40 which provides on one side of the flange a second annular abutment di on the valve stem, facing the rst abutment 39, and also provides on the opposite side of the flange a third annular abutment or spring seat 42, facing away from the valve seat.

A valve `adjusting slceving is concentrically disposed around the valve stern and is externally threaded for adjustment longitudinally in a complementary bore formed in the valve body. The sleeve i5 is formed at one end with a radially inwardly directed annular flange 45 movable axially between the rst and second abutments 39 and 40 on the valve stem. The flange 46 provides at opposite faces thereof first and second abutments on the sleeve engageable respectively with the washer 39 to move the valve member toward a valve closed position and with the face 41 of the ilange di? to move the valve member toward valve open positions. Externally of the valve body 155, the sleeve 53 is formed with an enlarged manually accessible knob 47 for rotating the sleeve to adjust ,the position of the valve member from the closed position illustrated in Fig. 2 tovarious open positions including a partially open, pilot flame position and a fully open, full llame position.

Adjacent the outer end, thesleeved is formed with an internally threaded portion for receiving an annular, externally threaded bushing or stop nut 49 which supports the valve stern movably therein and provides -a seat for one end of a spring 50 in the sleeve encircling the valve stern and, transmitting its force through the third abutment 42 and` theange 40 to urge the valve member toward valve closedposition.

ln use, when an extended period of torch operation is contemplated, the knob 47 will normallybe employed to fully open the valve to pass sufllcient Yfuel to sustain a full flame at the-torch nozzle i3. On the other hand, when only intermittent useof the torch for limited periods of time is contemplated, with intervening periods of non-use, the knob 47 may be employed topartially open the valve to` passA sufficient fuel to maintain` a small pilot flame at the torch nozzle 13, and a trigger mechanism'SZ will be employed toy quickly shift the valve member tothe fully open full flame position when desired. As illustrated, the trigger mechanism includes a trigger lever having a mid-portion 53 pivotally mounted at 54; on the valve body 18, a lower end portion 55 which extends "downwardly alongsidethe container lin a position' convenient to the thumbor finger of a hand. holding the con tainer4 10 or the'jalternative handle assembly referred to,

and anruppe'r end `portion S6 suitably connected to Wthe,v

valve stem to quickly shift'th'e stem outwardly'in oppo- .sition to the spring 50 from the pilot position to the full flame position. In the embodiment chosen for illustration, the upper end of the trigger lever is formed with a central bore 57 which receives the outer end of the valve stem, and the valve stem has a screw 58 threaded into its outer end, the screw having an annular abutment surface 59 engageable by diametrically opposite projections 61 (one shown in Fig. 2) in a cylindrical recess 6i! in the lever. The projections 6l are rounded in a manner suitable for effecting straight axial movement of the valve stem on pivotal movement of the trigger lever. Bore 57 is sufficiently large to allow pivotal movement of lever without contacting valve stem directly.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the valve is in closed position to completely shut off the flow of fuel to the torch nozzle. ln order to open the valve to a partially open, pilot flame position, the knob 4'7 is rotated in a direction to draw the flange d6 outwardly, into engagementwith the flange 40 on the valve stem, to draw the needle 33 away from the seat 32. Withthe valve in the pilot position, it may be opened to a fully open, full flame position by continuing the adjustment of knob 47 to draw the needle member further away from the valve seat, or the trigger mechanism may be utilized to quickly open the valve to the full flame position. When the valve is partially` opened or fully opened by adjustment of the sleeve 45, the flange 46 .on the sleeve engages the flange 40 on the valve stem. When the valve is opened by the trigger mechanism, movement is limited by engagement of the washer 39 with flange 46. On release of the trigger lever 52 spring 50 quickly returns the valve to the pilot position.

In order to move the valve from the pilot position to the closed position, the knob d'7 is rotated in the opposite direction, the spring Sil urging the valve closed as the flange d6 moves toward the left (as viewed in Fig. 2). During this valve closing adjustment, when the flanger 46 has moved a predetermined distance, the conical portion of the valve will engage the valve seat, under urge of the spring 5G. After this, it is necessary to continue rotation of `the-sleeve 45 in order for the flange 46 to move from the flange 4t? to engage the washer 39 and positively seat the valve stem. During this rotation of the sleeve 45, while the flange 4.6 moves between the abutments il and 39, the spring seat 49 andthe spring 50 rotate with the sleeve and thus tend to rotate the valve needle 33 in the seat 32. In order to avoid rotation of the valve stem during thisr valve closing adjustment and theconse- `quent wear on the stem and the seat, an annular antikfriction bearing 62 is positioned on the valve stem between the spring and the flange 4t). As illustrated, the bearing comprises an anti-friction washer of a suitable anti-friction material, such as Teflon, a plastic consisting of a tetrafluoroethylene polymer, which permits relative rotation between the spring S0 and the valve stem after the needle engages the valve seat.Y Engagement ofthe needle with the valve seat Ais sufficient to prevent rotation o-f the stem, and the washer 6 2 'permits' continued rotation of the spring.V The provision of the washer prevents wear on the valve needle and valve seat during valve closing and valve opening adjustment of the sleeve 45.

We claim:

l. A torch control valve, comprising, a valve body having.. a fluid passage therein and an annular valve` seat in the passage, the needle valve member'axially movable inthe valve body relative `to the valve seat between a valve closed position andl valve open positions, means forming a first abutment on the valve memberI` facing away from the valve seat, an outwardly extending kannularflange on the valve member having one sideforming a'second abutment spaced from and facing `toward the first abutment, a concentric sleeve threadably` adjustable inthevalve body and having an inwardly direct- ,ed annular flange movable between the labutments, en-

gageable withthe first abutment tomove the valve member toward the valve closedposition and Aengag'eable with the second abutment to move the valve member toward valve open positions, said sleeve having an outwardly directed ange outside of said valve body forming a manually accessible part for rotating the sleeve to adjust the valve member from a valve closed position, to a partially open position, and to a fully open position, saidV annular ange on the valve member having an opposite side forming a third abutment, a spring seat in the sleeve facing said third abutment, a coiled compression spring in the sleeve encircling the valve member, bearing against the spring seat and transmitting its force through the ange on the valve member to urge the valve member toward valve closed positiommanually accessible trigger lever means pivoted on said valve body and connected to said valve member outwardly of said outwardly directed ange for temporarily moving the valve member quickly in opposition to said spring to a full llame position, from a partially open position with the second abutment engaging the flange on the'sleeve to a fully open position with the first abutment engaging the flange on the sleeve, the lost motion of said ange between the first and second abutments permitting said spring to seat said valve member on valve closing adjustment of the sleeve before the flange engages said rst abutment to positively close the valve, and an annular antifriction washer between the spring and the third abutment to permit rotation of the spring relative to the valve member after the valve member is seated by the spring on valve closing adjustment of the sleeve.

2. Ay control valve `for regulating the ilow of 4pressurized fuel to the burner nozzle of a hand torch or the like, comprising, a valve body having a fluid passage thereinand an annular valve seat in the passage, a needle valve member axially movable in the valve seat from a valve closed position to various valve opened positions, first and second annular abutments longitudinally spaced on the valve member and facing each other, a concentric sleeve threadably adjustable in the valve body and having an inwardly directed annularv ange movable between the abutments, engageable with the rst abutment to move the valve member toward valve closed position and engageable with the second abutment to move the valve toward valve open positions, a manually accessible part for rotating the sleeve to adjust the valve member from valve closed position to a partially open position and to a fully open position, an annular stop in the sleeve forming an annular spring seat facing toward the valve seat, a third annular abutment on the valve member between the spring seat and the second abutment and facing the spring seat, a coiled compression spring in the sleeve bearing against the spring seat and transmitting its force through the third abutment to urge the valve member toward valve closed position, a trigger lever having a mid-portion pivotally mounted on' the valve body and having one end engageable with the valve member outwardly of said manually accessible part and having an opposite end extending into an accessible operating position to quickly move the member from a partially open, pilot ilame position with the second abutment engaging the dlange to a fully open, full llame position with the iirst abutment engaging the flange, the lost motion of said ange between said rst and second abutments permitting said spring to seat .said valve member on valve closing adjustment of the sleeve before the ange engages said first abutment to Apositively close the valve, and an annular Teflon washer between the spring and the third abutment to permit rotation of the spring without rotating the valve member after the valve member is seated by the spring on valve closing adjustment ofthe sleeve. Y Y

3. A control valve for use in a gas appliance to regulate the flow of fuel to a point of utilization, comprising,

a valve bodyzhaving a fluid passage therein and avalve seat inthe lluid passage, a non-rotating valve stem mov-` 'v Y able towards the valveiseat in a valve closing direction 75 outwardly of the valve body away lfrom the valve'seat Y and outwardly of the valve body away from the valve seat in a valve open/ing direction, a continuous adjustment means comprising a sleeve', screw thread coupling means between said sleeve and the inside of said valve body etfecting screw-threaded axial adjustment of said sleeve on an axis intersecting said valve seat, a knob on one end of said sleeve outside of said valve body in anaccessible position for manual adjustment of said sleeve, relatively rotatable tongue and groove coupling means between said sleeve and said valve stem locking said valve stem closed when said stem is screw threaded to a closed position and eifecting axial adjustment of said stem in unison with adjustment of said sleeve toward and away from saidk valve seat without subjecting said valve stemI to rotational movement when said' sleeve member is screw-threaded away from said closed position, said valve stem projecting outwardly of said knob, a trigger lever pivoted on said valve body and being operatively connected to the outermost portion of said valve stem, and

said tongue and groove couplingvmeans having means the valve seat in a valve opening diection, a continuously adjustable sleeve screw-threaded into saidtvalve body,

relatively rotatable intermating abutment means between said sleeve and said valve stemv including a lost motion connection affording relative linear movement therebetween when said sleeve is moved away from closed position, said valve stem extending outwardly of said valve body through said sleeve, a trigger lever pivoted on said valve body and operatively connected to said valve stem to the extending portion loutwardly of said sleeve, and continuous biasing means loading said valve stem towards closed position, whereby said valve stem is continuously adjustable upon rotaton'of said sleeve and said trigger lever may be selectively ,operated to linearly adjust the valve stem within the limits of said lost motion connection.

5. In a torch control valve having av valve seat and a `valve member axially movable relative to the valve seat between valve closed and'valve open positions, a iirstl annular abutment on the valve member, a threadably adjustable sleeve encircling the valve member and having an annular ,abutment engageable with the first abutment on the valve member to positively close and lock the valve, means for opening the valve including a second annular abutment on the valve member providing a spring seat on oney side and an abutment surface on the opposite side spaced longitudinally from said first valve abutment but engageable with said sleeve abutment, an annular` spring seat in the sleeve, a coiled compression spring in the sleeve, encircling the valve member between said spring seats and urging the valve member toward valve-closed position, and an` annular antifriction bearing between the spring and one of said spring seats'to permit relative rotation between the sleeve and the valvestem on valve-closing adjustment of the sleeve, and manually operable trigger lever means to selectively additionally open said valve within the limits of the spacing'dimension .between said first and second abutment surfaces for temporarily increasing the size of the valve opening.v

6. A control valve for use ina. gas appliance to regulate the flow of fuel to a point of utilization, comprising, a valve body having a fluid vpassage therein and *a valve n seat in the tluid passage, `a non-rotating valve'stem movabletowards the valve seat in valve-closingy direction and in a valve-opening direction, continuously adjustable screw-threaded coupling means interconnecting said valve stem and said valve body to lock said valve stem in closed position against saidl valve seat and to effect continuous incremental adjustment of said valve stem relative to said valve seat when moved to a second position away from said valve seat, said coupling means more specifically comprising a sleeve having a knob ange outwardly of the valve body and being adjustably screwthreaded into the valve body and slidably supporting said valve stem with relatively rotatable tongue and groove means between said valve stem and said sleeve inside of said valve body, a trigger lever pivoted on said valve body and operatively connected to said valve stem outf wardly of said knob flange, and said tongue and groove means being axially disposed with respect to one another to form a lost motion connection for eecting linear adjustment of said valve stem by said trigger lever within the limits prescribed by said lost motion connection only whenV said screw-threaded coupling means is screwtlireaded away from said closed position.

7. In a control valve for a torch, a valve body having a fuel passage formed therein, said body having a valve chamber formed therein intersecting said fuel passage and having a threaded portion opening out of one side of said valve body, a valve adjusting sleeve externally threaded for axial adjustment in said valve chamber at said threaded portion, said sleeve having formed therein externally of the valve body an enlarged manually accessible knob to adjust the position of the sleeve in the valve body upon rotation thereof, saidtsleeve having formed internally of the valve body a radially inwardly directed annular flange, a valve stem slidably supported in Said sleeve having at one end a valve head for closing said fuel passage and having at an intermediate portion interiorly of said valve body axially spaced abutments on opposite sides of and engageable with said annular iiange, and having at the opposite end thereof a portion projecting outwardly of said knob, spring means in said sleeve bottomed against said sleeve and against one of said abutments to bias said valve stem towards closed position, said valve body having an enlarged internally operable to adjust said stem axially upon rotating said.

knob.

8. In a trigger operable torch control valve, a valve body having a fuel passage therein and a valve seat in the passage, a valve stem movable in the valve body toward and away from the valve seat in valve-closing and valve-opening directions, a sleeve threadedly positioned in the valve body and having an annular spring seat surrounding the valve member, a spring bearing against the spring seat and the valve member to urge the valve member in a valve-closing direction, said sleeve having an enlarged exteriorly flanged knob formed exteriorly of said valve body, said sleeve further including an interiorly llanged annular shoulder cooperable with said valve stem to move said stem to selected pilot llame positions, said valve stem projecting outwardly of said flanged knob, and a trigger lever having a mid-portion pivotally connected to said valve body, one end portion of said trigger lever manually accessible for pivoting the lever, and an opposite end portion loosely embracing the outwardly projecting portion of said valve stem outwardly of said knob, and a stop means connected in iirm assembly with the end of said valve stem and engaging said opposite end portion of said trigger lever to move the valve member to a full flame position in opposition to said spring upon pivotal movement of the lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,696,967 Wilson Dec. 14, 1954 2,745,628 Carlson May 15, 1956 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 1,006 Great Britain 1882 361,204 France Q. 1906 

